


Erika's Kindness

by pinkcoat



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Red & Green & Blue & Yellow | Pokemon Red Green Blue Yellow Versions
Genre: Celadon City, Floral Design, Flowers, Gen, Rain
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-27
Updated: 2020-08-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:27:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26135740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinkcoat/pseuds/pinkcoat
Summary: A late-night stroll in the rain yields surprising results.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	Erika's Kindness

**Author's Note:**

> this scenario is based off the image shown in the pokémon trading card, erika's kindness—from which this story's title is also taken.

Celadon wasn't as bad as Fuchsia when it came to late-night bouts of rain, but it definitely had its moments. It was during just one of these moments that Erika finished up work. No trainers had challenged her that day, giving her the perfect opportunity to stay inside and teach. However, that "perfect opportunity" always came with its own setbacks (though she'd never think to call them that). A student was staying after class to try and figure out her habitual error in their newest floral arrangement. Erika, without a second thought, dropped everything to help her—it was well into the night when they were done. But the girl could practically arrange the piece with her eyes closed, now; definitely worth the time and effort.

"Thank you so much!" the student said, reaching for the arrangement.

Just as her hand gripped an iris, her teacher cut in—"You don't have to take it apart. Please, take it home with you."

Her hand loosened, stuttered over the flower, as she instinctively asked, "You sure?"

A giggle, "Of course!" She lit up, happily taking the piece, but not before thanking her teacher a thousand times over. "Don't forget ikebana*!" Erika said after the girl as she jogged out of the room. Now left to her own devices, Erika took her time cleaning up the mess left behind. She found it incredibly stress-relieving, and she was done before she knew it. That said, it was still much further into the night than she'd anticipated. What's more, she could just barely hear a steady pitter-patter outside.

While it'd be common to complain at such a turn of events, Erika found some good in it. True, the rain kept her from using her favorite parasol, but she was still happy to finally get to use her favorite umbrella, at least. She hummed a slow tune as she walked the deserted sidewalks. Halfway through this commute she heard growling through the rain. Instead of pulling a pokéball out of her purse, she stood still, scanning her surroundings. Her eyes eventually snagged on the fluffy perpetrator: a growlithe.

Erika squatted down, still a good handful of feet away from the pokémon. She knew better than to meet its gaze head on, instead focusing her attention on the poor thing's soaked fur. Remaining as still as she could, the growlithe soon calmed down. It even cocked its head when she suddenly clicked her tongue, making her smile.

They stared in each other's general directions for what seemed like a solid minute before Erika patted the sidewalk in front of her. It stared at the spot before hesitantly walking forward and sitting down.

"Do you have a home?" Her soft voice startled the pokémon, but only momentarily. Once relaxed, it simply looked at her.

She slowly leaned the umbrella forward, positioning it directly over the growlithe. It still stared at her, its confusion made a bit more apparent; she remained kind and unflinching in the downpour. "How would you like to come home with me?"

Its eyes lit up—so it was decided.

**Author's Note:**

> *ikebana: the japanese art of flower arranging that emphasizes form and balance.  
>    
> originally made 1.4.19, rewritten 1.16.21.


End file.
